Ca demands and cheep solutions

[DeepSeaBeauti]

So as i continue this jurney of wacked out water conditions, on of my other problems is keeping up with Ca demands. My tank seams to have a real thirst for Ca. Ive been using liquid supliments like, aquavitro calicfication, and Purple up. Both do well but to keep buying the suplements is expensive. Ive been looking into better solutions, Ca reactor, kalk reactor, ect.... But what is really the best, most effective, easyest to maintain and most economical method for keeping my aquarium ballanced?

 

[HighlandReefer]

Purpleup is made of calcium carbonate from my understanding. Calcium carbonate will not dissolve & produce calcium at normal reef pH. In a calcium reactor it would work.

Try the calcium chloride from www.bulkreefsupply.com, it is relatively cheap and is purer then de-icers IMHO.

 

[d0ughb0y]

an option for calcium chloride is to get it from your local pool supply. leslie's pool sells them as hardness plus. you can get soda ash there as well.

 

[Chris27]

Depending on the Ca demand, Kalk is as cheap as you can get when it comes to maintaining Ca and Alk.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Yeah the kalk reactor seams like a good method, so far seams like the best option.
Also i read on here somewhere about a recipe using porducts from home improvement stores and pool supplies. Anyone use these, and do you run them in a reactor also. Or do you supliment it as needed?


Doughboy, what is soda ash? And how do you know the amount of CaCl to use?

 

[Zebodog]

Depending on the Ca demand, Kalk is as cheap as you can get when it comes to maintaining Ca and Alk.

+1

Easy too - I use Kalk in my ATO.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

an option for calcium chloride is to get it from your local pool supply. leslie's pool sells them as hardness plus. you can get soda ash there as well.

+1

Easy too - I use Kalk in my ATO.

How offend does your system top off. Seams like this can be a factor into the efficency of the kalk reactor? Also what make is your reactor?

 

[d0ughb0y]

if you say your ca demand is high and if it is really high, then kalk will not be able to keep up with it unless your evaporation rate is really high.

soda ash = sodium carbonate

randy's recipe 1 says 2 cups soda ash to 1 gallon rodi, and 2 1/4 cups calcium carbonate to 1 gallon rodi if I am not mistaken. I just use 2 cups of each just to simplify.
then for each gallon of 2 part you need to add 20 oz of magnesium mixture. I just add 1 cup a month to simplify. 5 tbs magnesium chloride + 3 tbs epsom salt to 1 cup rodi.

 

[Zebodog]

How offend does your system top off. Seams like this can be a factor into the efficency of the kalk reactor? Also what make is your reactor?

I don't use a reactor.

I mix kalk in with RO/DI and use that solution to top off with an aqualifter so the tank doesn't get too much at once and cause a huge pH spike. As a safeguard, My APEX will shut down the ATO if the pH gets too high.

Obviously evaporation plays a huge roll, but in the summer months when it will be a higher, I use a little less kalk.

I've been using this method for a year and calcium is 420ppm-440pm and alkalinity is 8.5dKH-9.0dKH. Prior to this I was manually dosing 2 part every day to maintain the same levels.

 

[outy]

Purpleup is made of calcium carbonate from my understanding. Calcium carbonate will not dissolve & produce calcium at normal reef pH. In a calcium reactor it would work.

Try the calcium chloride from www.bulkreefsupply.com, it is relatively cheap and is purer then de-icers IMHO.

+1 dont buy purple up. cal chloride is all you need.

and top off with kalk to maintain what you have

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

correct me if im wrong, but if the kalk reactor just saturates the water with Ca, why even bother with a reactor, cant you just add it too your top off system? Obviusly in a lower dose.

 

[Topbloke72]

Just add the kalk to your top-off water. It's quick and convenient. If that doesn't supply enough alk and ca then start dosing those as well. Do plenty of testing so you can keep your parameters on target.

As others have said check out Bulkreefsupply for the Ca, Alk, and kalk.

 

[bertoni]

The easiest way to get start is a two-part:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

There are a number of vendors, including Bulk Reef Supplies, that sell the ingredients. Kalk adds both calcium and alkalinity, but it's best dosed with a peristaltic pump, or some similar devices that adds a series of drops, rather than a big dose, since kalk can spike pH a lot.

 

[maynardjames]

imo 2 part from bulk reef supply is the cheapest way to go for you. can get kit to make a gallon of calcium & alk both for 10 bucks. also comes with small pack of mag as well.if you dont have a huge tank a gallon should last a while once you get everything inline where you want it. larger quantity`s are available & come with jugs,hand pumps & dosing cups too

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Found this around the house. Will this work as per the RK article for do it yourself 2 part? Not to sure, since it also has Mg mixed in.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Anyone?

 

[reeferx2]

I wouldn't use that since you don't know the ratio of calcium and magnesium. You would be better off having a mixture of straight CaCl and keep the Mg separate.

 

[DeepSeaBeauti]

Yeah that was my concern too, i was hoping someone had figured a recipe for this mixture.

 

[outy]

to much mag in that mix to use

 

[bertoni]

If you wanted to put in the work, you might be able to get some idea of how much magnesium and calcium are in the mix, and work from there, but I would just get separate supplements, personally.